Wrapping machine



Jan. 30, 1945. c GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. '7, 1941 Carl fi. Gerlach Jan. 30, 1945 c. A. GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. '7, 1941 6 SheetsSheet 2 Jan. 30, 1945. c. A. GERLACH 2,368,313

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. '7 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet E 20 I9 Car/RQer/ach Jan. 30, 1945. c, GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. '7, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Z! R. Geriacll Jan. 30, 1945. c A. GERLACH 2,368,213

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 l3 V5- C7 58 Carl fl. Ger/och Jan. 30, 1945. c. A. GERLACH WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 7, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Carl fi. Ger/ach Patented Jan. 30, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRAPPING MACHINE Carl A. Gerlach, La Grange, Ill. Application February 7, 1941, Scrial No. 377,827

11 Claims. (Cl. 93-2) This invention relates to wrapping machines and more specifically to machines for wrapping rolls of paper to cover the ends as well as the sides or peripheries of the rolls.

While the invention will be hereinafter specifically described as embodied in a machine for wrapping rolls of paper such as butchers wrapping paper, it should be understood that theinvention includes machines for wrapping articles in general such as, for example, cylindrically shaped articles.

According to the invention, wound rolls of paper are fed through the machine'on a conveyor with rotatable supports for the rolls. The machine includes a station for rolling a sheet of wrapping paper around the periphery of the roll to cover the full length of the roll and to project beyond the ends of the roll. This sheet of wrapping paper is supplied from a roll mounted on the machine and is automatically fed to the wrapping mechanism through a cutting device which severs the sheet into a length somewhat greater than the circumference of the roll being wrapped in order that the ends of the sheet may be overlapped and glued together. The feeding mechanism includes glue spotting devices for applying spots of glue to the portions of the sheet that are overlapped in order that the wrapped sheet will be secured around the roll.

The roll with the wrapper thereon then advances to another station of the machine for pleating or tucking of the projecting ends of the wrapper against the ends of the roll. The tucking mechanism covers the marginal portions of the roll ends with the wrapper.

The tucked wrapper and roll then advance to another station where glue is applied to the tucked portions of the wrapper. The glued roll and wrapper next pass to another station of the machine at Which end covers or disk of sheet material are pasted onto the tucked ends of the wrapper for producing a completel wrapped roll.

An important feature of the invention includes the formation of end disks of wrapping material from continuous sheets of wrapping paper and the automatic securing of these disks onto the tucked ends of the wrapper which covers the full length of the roll or article being wrapped.

It is. then. an object of this invention to provide a machine for completely covering articles with wrapping material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for automatically wrapping cylindrically shaped articles to cover the peripher and ends of the article.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for automatically wrapping wound rolls of sheet material to cover the ends as well as the lengths of the rolls.

A specific object of the invention is to auto-'' 1 matically apply end covers to the ends of wrappers on cylindrically shaped objects for sealing the ends of said objects.

A further specific object of the invention is to automatically cut end wrapping disks from continuous sheets and apply said disks to the ends of cylindrically shaped objects.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide mechanism for feeding sheet material to a cylindrically shaped object for wrapping around said object while applying glue to pre-. determined portions of the sheet material for subsequent uniting together of the ends of the sheet material around the object.

A still further specific object of the invention is to provide mechanism for pleating or tucking Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear side elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a topplan view of the machine shown in Figures 1 and'2. I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IV--IV of Figure 3.

Figure 5"is a fragmentary transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VV of Figure 3 with parts in' elevation.

' Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Figure 3 with parts in elevation.

Figure '7 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken substantially along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic isometric view illustrating the operation of the machine.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2, the reference character A designates the main frame for the machine. A secondary frame 13 is secured to the discharge end of the main frame A, and a top frame C is mounted above the main frame A.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main frame A carries bearing supports ID at the inlet end thereof rotatably supporting a cross-shaft I I. A pair of spaced sprockets I2 are secured on this shaft I I.

The frame B carries, at the discharge end of the machine, pairs of superimposed bearing brackets 3 and I4 rotatably supporting crossshafts I5 and I6 respectively. Each of the crossshafts I5 and 16 has aflixed thereon pairs of spaced sprockets I1 and I8 respectively.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a pair of con veyor chains I9 are trained through the machine around the sprockets I2 at the inlet end of the machine and around the superimposed sprockets I1 and I8 at the discharge end of the machine. The chains carry a plurality of cross-shafts which rotatably support wheels or disks 2| near the end thereof. Portions 20a of the shafts 29 project beyond the outer faces of the wheels 2| and ride on tracks 22 extending throughout the length of the machine.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shafts 20 and wheels 2| are arranged on the chains |9 in spaced pairs to receive rolls of paper R thereon along their upper runs over the tracks 22. The wheels of adjacent pairs are spaced close together while the wheels of each pair are spaced apart for a sufiicient distance to support the rolls R.

As best shown in Figures 2 and 3; a motor 23 is mounted on top of the frame C and drives a belt 24 which in turn rotates the pulley 25 of a gear box 26. A driven shaft'21 projects from the gear box at the rear side of the machine and carries a gear 28 meshing with a-large gear 29 secured on a cross-shaft 30. shaft 30 drives a chain 32 extending downwardly along the rear face of the machine to a sprocket 33 on a stub-shaft 34 carried by the main frame A (Figs. 2 and 6). This stub-shaft drives a gear 35 meshing with a small gear 36 on another crossshaft 31. A half-gear 38 is driven by the shaft 31 and meshes, during about one-half of a full turn. with a driving gear 39 on the shaft II carrying the Sprockets |2. In this manner the conveyor chains are intermittently driven to advance rolls of paper R through the machine.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a half-gear 49 is affixed to the shaft 30 at the front side of the machine, and this gear meshes, during one-half of a turn, with a gear 4| on another cross-shaft 42 driving a sprocket 43, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 at the rear side of the machine. The sprocket 43, in turn, drives a chain 44 meshing with a sprocket 45 on a cross-shaft 46 carried by vertical plates D mounted on the frame C at the inlet end of the machine. The shaft 46 has three web-driving wheels 41 afilxed thereon in spaced relation.

An idler shaft 48 is rotatably mounted for ver tical movement in said plates D under the shaft 46. The idler shaft 48 carries rollers 49 under each wheel 41 to cooperate therewith.

The ends of the shaft 48 are fitted in heads 50 of rods 5| which are slidably mounted through bosses 52 formed on the plates D. Coiled springs 53 are disposed around the rods 5| above the A sprocket 3| on this crossbosses 52 and are held between the tops of the bosses and collars 54 affixed to the upper ends of the rods. The upper ends of the rods carry cam rollers 55 in the path of cams 58 carried by the ends of the shaft 46. The springs 53 will urge the shaft 48 upwardly toward the shaft 46 to bring the rollers 49 in nip engagement with the wheels 41. However, when the shaft 46 is rotated to bring the high spots of the cams 56 against the rollers 55, the rods 5| will be forced downwardly against spring pressure to space the rollers 49 away from the wheels 41 as shown in Figure 4.

.A roll of wrapping paper W is rotatably mounted on standards 51 projecting above the plates D. The wrapping paper W is threaded downwardly from the roll through the nip between the feed whee-ls 41' and their cooperating rollers 49 as best shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the shaft 46 has a sprocket 58 secured on an end thereof at the front side of the machine for driving a chain 59 to rotate another cross-shaft 60 rotatably mounted on top of the plates D. This cross-shaft 60 carries four paper directing shoes 6| adapted to fit between the feed wheels 41. As shown in Fi ures 3 and 4, the shoes 6| are moved by the shaft 60 into the path of the wrapping paper W between the roll and the feed wheels 41 for deflecting the wrapping paper against four fountain rolls 62 carried on a shaft 63 which is rotatably mounted in the plates D beneath the shaft 60.

The fountain rolls 62 ar partially immersed in a bath of adhesive material carried in a trough or pan 64 mounted across the frame C. A doctor roll 65 cooperates with each fountain roll 62 to provide an even uniform film of adhesive material to the wrapping paper W whenever the shoes 6| move downwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 to direct the paper against the fountain rolls. The shoes 6| each have a pair of spaced spring urged pads 6|a for resiliently but firmly engaging the paper to press the same against the fountain rolls and effect application of two spaced spots of glue to the paper by each fountain roll. The spots are positioned so that when the paper is severed as hereinafter described one spot is on the leading end of the length while the other is on the trailing end.

Alternatively, the four fountain rolls 62 can be replaced with a single roller and paper supporting fingers can rest on top of the roller to hold the paper web away from the roller except when the shoes deflect localized portions of the web against the roller to apply the glue spots.

The rolls or roller are replaceable in the machine to vary the length of the glue spots.

The fountain rolls 62 are driven from a pulley 66 on the shaft 60 through a belt 61, and a pulley 68 on the shaft 63, as best shown in Figure 1.

It will be noted from Figure 3 that the shoes BI and fountain rollers 62 alternate with the feed wheels 41 and rollers 49 so that the wrapping paper W has spots of adhesive applied to the under face thereof at points not contacted by the rollers 49 during the feeding operation at the glue spotted areas thereof.

As best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, a crossheam 10 is mounted on the frame C in front of the nip between the wheels 41 and rollers 49 and carries a knife support 1| for the fixed mounting of a cutter knife 12. The cutter knife extends across the full width of the machine as shown Figure 3 and receives the wrapping paper W thereover as shown in Figure 4 but, since the paper W is directed over the rollers 49, its underside only contacts the cutter I2 at the edge thereof.

A rotary cutter knife I3 cooperates with the fixed knife I2 and is carried by a plurality of arms 14 fixedly mounted on the shaft 42. The intermediate arms I4 have looped guides I5 secured to the free ends thereof by means of. bolts or rivets 16 above the cutter knife T3. The guides I5 are looped around the shaft 42 and serve to direct the wrapping paper W downwardly onto guide plates or fingers I1 carried by the crossbeam III as best shown in Figures 4 and 6. These guide plates 'I'I are spaced so as to contact the underside of the wrapping paper W only at the unglued areas thereof.

The looped guides I5 also serve to feed a severed length of the wrapping paper W to the nip between a roll R and a ,wrapping roll 88 as best shown in Figure 4. This roll 88 is mounted on a shaft 8I carried by arms 82 which are pivoted at 83 to the frame C. Springs 84 urge the shaft downwardly to move the winding roll 88 into pressure engagement with the roll R therebeneath. As shown in Figure 2, another sprocket on the shaft 2'! projecting from the gear box 28 drives a chain 85 for driving a sprocket 85 on a crossshaft 81 rotatably mounted in the frame C. As shown in Figure l, the front end of the shaft 81 carries a sprocket driving a chain 88 trained around a sprocket 89 on the shaft 8| for the winding roller 88. The winding roller 88 is thus driven to rotate the roll R and wrap a severed length L of the wrapping paper W around the roll R. Both th trailing and the leading ends of this severed length will carry glue spots imparted thereon by the fountain rollers 62 when the shoes press the wrapping paper against the fountain roll since the spaced pads on the shoes form two glue spots on the paper and the knives sever the paper between these two spots. The glued leading end is affixed to the roll R while the glued trailing end of the length L overlaps the leading end wrapped on the roll R so that the ends of the lengths will be glued together in overlapping relation. The pressure between the winding roll 88 and the roll R beingwound is sufficient to effect a sealing of the ends of the length L and for initially afiixing the leading end to the roll R.

The chain 88 may be relatively loose so as to allow the springs 84 to urge the roll 88 tightly against the roll R. The mounting wheels 2I are freely rotatable on their shafts 28 so that the roll R can be readily rotated by the winding roller 88.

The wrapping paper W is wider than the length of the roll R so as to project beyond the ends 01" the roll. wound therearound by the winder roll 88 is then advanced to the next station of the machine by movement of the conveyor. At this next station of the machine the projecting ends of the wrapping paper are tucked or pleated to lie flat against the ends of the roll.

As shown in Figure l the shaft 81 carries another sprocket which drives another chain 98 for rotating a sprocket 9| on a tucker shaft 92. As shown in Figure 5, the shaft 92 is urged down wardly toward the roll R by means of springs 93. A roll rotating drum 94 is afiixed to the intermediate portion of the shaft and is driven thereby to rotate the roll R with the wrapper therearound. Tucker plates 95 are slidably keyed on the shaft 92 beyond the ends of the drum 94 cutting,

The roll with the wrapping paper by means of keys 92a and are spring-urged by means of springs 96 toward the ends of the roll R. These tucker plates have a plurality of flat fingers 95a each provided with an outturned leading edge 95b.

As illustrated in Figure l-A the, leading beveled ends of the fingers will guide the projecting end of the wrapping paper toward the end of the roll R thereby effecting a fold or pleat in th paper. The fiat portion of the finger 95a irons out this fold tightly against the end of the roll to provide a pleated end for the wrapping paper as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 at W.

The drum 94 rotates the roll R at least through one complete revolution so that the tucker plate will tuck the entire periphery of the wrapping paper and form a pleated marginal cover for the ends of the roll.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the shaft 92 carries another sprocket at the rear side of the machine driving a chain I88. The chain, in turn, drives a sprocket II on the shaft I82 carrying a winder drum I83 at the next station of the machine.

The roll with the tucked or pleated wrapping paper thereon is advanced from the tucker station by the conveyor to the gluing station including the winder drum I83.

The shaft I 82 is mounted for vertical movement like the shaft 92 and is urged downwardly toward the roll R by means of springs I84.

As best shown in Figur 8, glue or adhesiveapplying disks I85 are rotatably mounted in housings I86 carried from the main frame A and spring-urged by means of springs I8I toward the ends of the roll R. These disks I85 are inclined at an angle of about and have beveled glue-applying peripheries dipping into baths of glue in tanks or pans I 88. These disks I85 apply glue to the tucked portion W of the wrapping paper for preparing this tucked portion to receive paper end cover or disks.

The drum I83 rotates the roll R at least through one complete revolution so that glue will be applied around the entire portion W of the wrapping paper.

The conveyor is then advanced to move the roll to the next station of the machine mounted on the frame B.

The frame B carries a pair of standards I I8 at the front side of the machine and a second pair of standards I II at the rear side of the machine. The standards H8 and I II rotatably support separate rolls of paper H2 and I I3.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the ends of the cross-shaft I6 have beveled gears thereon mesh- 1 ing with gears H4 at the lower ends of vertical shafts H5.

These vertical shafts II5 are connected at their top ends through gears H6 with the shafts of rollers II! for feeding paper from the rolls H2 and H3. Each feed roll II! has a cooperating idler roll II8 holding the paper against the feed roll (Fig. 3).

As best shown in Figure 7, the feed rollers I I! feed the respective webs from the rolls I I 2 and I I3 tirough cutter blocks I I9 having circular central apertures I28 sized for cutting disks from the webs to fit the ends of the roll R.

Cutter heads are slidably mounted in the apertures I28 of the cutter blocks and are carried on rods I22 extending into cylinders I23. Pistons I24 are slidably mounted in th cylinders I23 and are affixed to the rods I22.

The back ends of the cylinders I23 receive pipes I25 for injecting operating fluid behind the pistons I24 to force the cutter disks I 2I through the blocks H9 and against the ends of the roll. The pipes I25 are joined through a T coupling I26 with a pipe I2! leading to the lower port of a valve I28 at the other end of the machine. The front ends of the cylinders communicate with pipes I29 joined through a T coupling I30 with a pipe line I3! connected to the upper port of the valve I28 as shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7. As best shown in Figure 1, a motor I32 is suspended beneath the main frame A and drives a pump I33 through a belt I34. This pump draws oil or other hydraulic fluid from a tank I35 through a pipe I36 indicated in Figures 1 and 6 and supplies the oil under compression to a relief valve I3'I having a relief port connected to a pipe I38 back to the tank I35 together with a feed port I39 connected with the control valve I28. In this manner the pump I 33 can be continuously driven by the motor I32 and will circulate oil to and from the tank whenever the oil pressure builds up beyond a desired maximum.

The control valve I28 has a control plunger I40 equipped with a roller I4I adapted to ride against cam I42 on the cross-shaft 31, as shown in Figure 6. The cross-shaft 31 is driven through the half-gear 38 from stub-shaft 34 which, as explained above, is driven through the chain 32 and is connected with the shaft 31 through gears 35 and 36 (Figure 2).

The cam I42 will operate the control valve I28 in timed relation to the feeding of partially wrapped rolls R between the cutter blocks IIS so that the cutter heads I2I will be operated by the pistons I24 to cut out disks from the web supplied by the rolls I I2 and I I3 to press these disks against the ends of the roll R and affix the same to the marginal portion W of the wrapping. After the disks are aflixed in place the valve I28 will be operated to retract the cutter heads I2I back into the blocks III! as shown in Figure '7.

Operation of the machine Wound rolls of paper are sequentially deposited on the wheels 2| of the conveyor in the machine to feed the rolls in spaced relation through the machine. When a roll R reaches the first station of the machine it is rotated by the winder drum 80. A roll of wrapping paper W is rotatably mounted above the machine and is unwound by the feeding wheels and rollers 41 and 48 to supply a length of wrapping paper past the cutter bar 72. The leading and trailing ends of this length have previously been glue-spotted by moving the shoes 6| to deflect the paper against the fountain rollers 62 which apply films of adhesive or glue from the bath in the pan 64 to localized areas on the under face of the wrapping paper.

When the proper length of wrapping paper has cleared the cutter bar 12, the cutter I3 will sever this length while the rolls 49 are moved momentarily into spaced relation from the wheels 41 to stop forward motion of the paper. The guides "I5 will cooperate With the guide plates 11 to move the leading end of the severed length into the nip between the winding roller 80 and the roll of paper R. This severed length has glue spots on the leading end thereof which are glued to the roll R and the length is then wrapped around the roll of paper R due to the rotation of the roll by the winding roller. The length of paper is longer than the circumference of the roll R so that the trailing end thereof with the glue spots on its under face will overlap the leading end of the length and be aifixed to this leading end.

The conveyor is then operated to move the roll of paper to the next station of the machine. During this movement, however, a new length of wrapping paper W is glue spotted and fed past the cutter bar 12 for application to the next roll.

At the second station of the machine, the roll R is again rotated and the projecting ends of the wrapping paper are acted on by the tucker plates to pleat the paper against the ends of the roll as illustrated at W. When the pleating operation is completed, the roll is then advanced to the third station of the machine by the conveyor where it is again rotated and glue is applied to the portion W of the wrapping by the glue applicators I05.

The roll is next advanced by the conveyor to the fourth and last station of the machine for the affixing of the end disks to the portion W of the wrapping. During the advancing of the rolls of paper between stations by the conveyor, portions of the machine are operative for preparing each station for action. Thus the feed wheels 41 and rollers 48 are operated together with the paper-deflecting shoes to supply the glue-spotted wrapping lengths for use at the first station. Likewise the feed rolls III are operated to supply paper from the rolls I I2 and I I3 to the cutter blocks I I9. The second and third stations of the machine need not be active except when the conveyor is at rest.

From the above descriptions it should be understood that machines of this invention successively act on rolls of paper or other cylindrical objects to apply a wrapping around the full lengths of the objects, to tuck the projecting ends of the wrapping against the ends of the objects. to apply glue to the tucked portions of the wrapping, and to ailix end disks to the tucked portions of the wrapping for sealing the ends of the objects.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wrapping machine comprising an endless conveyor having spaced pairs of rotatable supports for a plurality of cylindrical objects, mechanism for intermittently advancing said conveyor to move the cylindrical objects completely through said machine, a first station in said machine, mechanism at said first station for rolling a length of sheet material around a cylindrical object on said conveyor, a second station in said machine, mechanism at said second station for tucking the ends of the sheet material against the ends of said cylindrical object, a third station in said machine, mechanism at said third station for applying adhesive to the tucked portions of the sheet material on said object, a fourth station in said machine, and mechanism at said fourth station for affixing disks of sheet material to said tucked portions for sealing the ends of the cylindrical object.

2. In a wrapping machine including conveying mechanism for intermittently advancing spaced cylindrical objects through the machine, end seal forming and securing mechanism in said machine, and fluid pressure means for operating said forming and securing mechanism controlled by said conveying mechanism.

3. In a roll wrapping machine having a plurality of stations, the improvements of conveyor mechanism for advancing rolls through the machine to said stations, end seal forming and securing mechanism at one of said stations of said machine including paper feeding and paper cutting devices, and means for operating said paper feeding and paper cutting devices controlled by said conveying mechanism.

' 4. In a wrapping machine having a plurality of stations, conveying mechanism for intermittently advancing spaced cylindrical objects to the stations of the machine, wrapping sheet feeding mechanism operative while said conveying mechanism is moving, means at the first station of said machine for rolling a length of wrapping sheet around an object when said conveying mechanism is at rest, and means at the second station of the machine for tucking the ends of the wrapping sheet against the end of the cylindrical object when said conveying mechanism is at rest.

5. In a roll wrapping machine including wrapping material feeding and gluing mechanism, the improvement which comprises a conveyor having a run through said machine, pairs of rotatable supports on said conveyor defining roll-receiving nips to continuously support rolls for movement through the machine, a plurality of stations in said machine along the length of said conveyor run, a roller at the first station adapted to coopcrate with a roll on a pair of supports for defining a nip therewith to receive glued wrapping material from said mechanism, means for rotating the roller to rotate the roll on the support for wrapping the wrapping material around the roll, means at a second station to tuck the ends of the wrapping material against the ends of a roll, means at a third station for applying glue to the tucked ends of the wrapping on the rolls, means at a fourth station to secure end seals to the glued tucked ends of the wrapping material on the roll, means for intermittently advancing said conveyor to successively move rolls to said stations, means for simultaneously operating the mechanisms at each of said stations when the conveyor is stopped, and means for operating said wrapping material feeding and gluing mechanism when said conveyor is moving. a

6. In a roll wrapping machine, a conveyor having a run through said machine, pairs of rotatable supports on said conveyor defining roll-receiving nips to continuously support rolls for movement through the machine, means for intermittently advancing said conveyor to move the rolls completely through the machine, and a plurality of stations in said machine along the length of said conveyor run having mechanisms for simultaneous operation on successive rolls to wrap material around the rolls, to tuck the ends of the wrapping material against the ends of the rolls, and to fix end seals to the tucked ends of the wrapping material.

7. In a roll wrapping machine, a conveyor having a run through said machine, rotatable supports on said conveyor defining roll-receiving nips to continuously support rolls for movement through the entire machine, and mechanisms along the length of said run of the conveyor for simultaneously wrapping, tucking, and end sealing wrappin material around successive rolls.

8. In a machine for wrapping cylindrical objects, the improvements which comprise a conveyor having a run through said machine for continuously supporting said cylindrical objects as long as they are being acted upon by the machine, and mechanisms along the length of said conveyor adapted to simultaneously wrap, tuck and end seal wrapping material on successive objects in the machine.

9. In a roll wrapping machine including wrapping material feeding and gluing mechanism, a single conveyor having a run through said machine, pairs of rotatable supports on said conveyor defining roll-receiving nips to continuously supv port rolls for movement throughout the entire machine, a first station in said machine, a roller at said first station adapted to cooperate with a roll on a pair of said supports for defining a nip to receive glued wrapping material from said feeding and gluing mechanism, means for rotating the roller to rotate the roll on the supports for wrapping said wrapping material around the roll, a second station in said machine, a tucking mechanism at said second station for folding the ends of the wrapping material against the ends of the roll, a third station in said machine, mechanism at said third station for applying glue to the folded ends of the wrapping material, a fourth station in said machine, mechanism at said fourth station for affixing end seals to the glued folded ends of the wrapping material, means for intermittently movingsaid conveyor to advance rolls through the machine, means for simultaneously operating the mechanisms at each of said stations when the conveyor is at rest, and means for operating the wrapping material feeding and gluing mechanism when the conveyor is moving, to feed glued wrapping sheets to said roller.

10. The method ofwrapping objects which com prises advancing a plurality of objects to be wrapped alon a path, wrapping a sheet of wrapping material around an object, tucking the ends of the wrapping sheet against the ends of the wrapped object, securing end seals to the tucked ends of the wrapping material, effecting said wrapping, tucking and securing steps simultaneously on successive objects, and stopping the advancing movement of the objects during said simultaneous operations.

11. A wrapping machine comprising a support for a roll of wrapping material, superimposed pairs of laterally spaced feed rollers for receiving material from said roll through the nips therebetween, means for separating the rolls of each pair for stopping movement of said material, adhesive-applying fountain rollers in the path of said material, material-deflecting shoes operating in planes between said laterally spaced feed rollers for deflecting the material into contact with said fountain rollers for application of adhesive spots on the material, a cutter device for severing adhesive-spotted lengths of said material, a conveyor having rotatable supports thereon for cylindrical objects, mechanism for rotating a cylindrical object on said supports to wrap an adhesive-spotted length of wrapping material around the object, means for rotating said mechanism when said conveyor is at rest and said feed rollers are separated, and means for actuating said feed rollers to advance the material when said conveyor is moving.

CARL A. GERLACH. 

